Boeing machinists approve 777X contract with 51% vote! (Seattle, Everett: houses, gated)

[Teuscher]

So Boeing is most likely staying in Everett....

[Zelva]

Hum, the union gets a clue - money talks - one way, or another.

[NorthWetter]

The younger workers outvoted the more senior workers. Why would the younger workers want a pension when their work is so cyclical?

[thatguy950]

So 49% are probably inbreeds who think they "can't be replaced." I wouldn't blame Boeing for leaving for a right-to-work state in the future, seems like the union is determined to destroy Boeing, much like they nearly did with the Big-3. When I was in HS I worked at a place with a similar makeup to the machinists, union and all; boy oh boy was that enlightening.... Every one of them thought they had the hardest job on earth and were the only ones who could do it right. I didn't know smoking 15 times a day was that difficult?

In any case, do the "NO" voters really thing they could do better elsewhere, with better salaries and benefits? It's likely they would become the laziest janitors and ditch diggers on the State's payroll, obviously with much less pay.

[atler8]

That was certainly an enlightening post here @ 03:33!
As part of disclosure, I am not & never have been a union member but rather have worked in the same white collar position in financial services for 29 years.
I live in a right to work state & can assure you that worker's rights here are far down the totem pole of concerns in the minds & policies of state officials & the legislature. The anti union sentiment here is in total control in state government. They, along with thatguy950 above, would have us believe that everything that has gone wrong with American business can be laid at the feet of unions and that unions want to destroy companies, as if Amercian busines leadership hasn't done enough over the years in the way of mistakes to screw up it's business models & practices on it's own.
The priorities here in Georgia are entirely supportive of big business (what about the small businessman?) & helping those folks that already are in the "haves" category.
Yet, Georgia has stopped gaining in per capita income rank among the 50 states & has slid several positions in that rank since it's advances tailed off late in the 1990's & began to fall back during that last full decade.
No wonder that poverty continues to afflict a terribly high percentage our of our state population as compared to Washington State & the average state. By virtue of what our state leaders tell us, everything is coming up roses & this is an idyllic location for business but yet in reality Georgia still lags severely.
I for one, am delighted that Washington State will retain those Boeing jobs & that the licking their chops attitudes that you can spot even here on CD forums threads amongst Alabamians & South Carolinians will be cooled off. Some of the most vociferous amongst them were hoping for an economic blow & job loss turn of events for Washington State. Perhaps you weren't aware of it but, as a legacy of the Civil War & desegregation ill will & anti-union sentiment, there is much delight found down here at any misfortunate turn of events in the north.

[cocaseco]

This is great news, and i'm so glad common sense reigned supreme. This morning i have noticed a lot of "no" supporters on TV bemoaning the loss of their pension and warning us that our pensions are next. Well buddy, most of the people watching have no pension and never did. Nobody is going to cry for your lost pension, and oh BTW, its not lost, just reduced. Welcome to the real world.

[jjinla]

I wonder if those no voters truly believed that Boeing was bluffing....or that they were willing to die on their swords. They had a poll on the Seattle Times asking whether Boing was really going to pull the plug and a whopping 85% said yes entirely or slowly if they voted no. Clearly the workers do have a huge disconnect from reality.

Some of those young workers are actually calling for right to work status here and I fully support them. The way that the local IAM were trying to lead them and a lot of us off a cliff shows that their only concern is their own coffers. If not for the national IAM stepping in we'd all be in a heap of trouble. At the very least the locals need a no confidence vote...the blatantly false propaganda they were spewing to cement a no vote was borderline criminal.

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by jjinla

I wonder if those no voters truly believed that Boeing was bluffing....or that they were willing to die on their swords. They had a poll on the Seattle Times asking whether Boing was really going to pull the plug and a whopping 85% said yes entirely or slowly if they voted no. Clearly the workers do have a huge disconnect from reality.

Some of those young workers are actually calling for right to work status here and I fully support them. The way that the local IAM were trying to lead them and a lot of us off a cliff shows that their only concern is their own coffers. If not for the national IAM stepping in we'd all be in a heap of trouble. At the very least the locals need a no confidence vote...the blatantly false propaganda they were spewing to cement a no vote was borderline criminal.

I truly believe that the no votes believed that Boeing was bluffing. And from a pragmatic standpoint, it would have cost them an enormous amount of money to relocate/expand manufacturing somewhere else.
I think Boeing was willing to do it, because the union here has gone on strike a little too frequently.
I would have voted for the contract, but I wouldn't have been doing somersaults. Yes, many companies have given up pensions in exchange for 401(k) plans, and it's worked out for some. But for others, they make investment choices without a lot of knowledge or experience, and squander it. It's not easy to give things up that you previously fought for.
I don't see how voting no would have benefited the coffers of the local union, or that it was their concern. Color me confused, but the local union did not oppose the first contract that the members turned down, but opposed the one that just got passed.
They now get to keep their jobs for another ten years, but they'll be paying higher health care costs, and losing their pensions. It was a lose-lose situation, and not only are the workers giving things up to keep their jobs, but the state is giving Boeing a multi billion dollar subsidy to build the 777 here. It's not like the state is flush with tax revenues. I guess it's the way of the world, where pro sports franchises and manufacturers can demand taxpayer subsidies and givebacks or they'll take their marbles and go elsewhere. But I don't like it.

[Seacove]

Ira, I think you spelled it out perfectly all the way around. I'm glad it passed for the health of the area but I'm sure for some of them, the vote wasn't much fun.

[victorianpunk]

Originally Posted by atler8

T
Yet, Georgia has stopped gaining in per capita income rank among the 50 states & has slid several positions in that rank since it's advances tailed off late in the 1990's & began to fall back during that last full decade.
No wonder that poverty continues to afflict a terribly high percentage our of our state population as compared to Washington State & the average state

That is not what it sounds like. "Per Capita income" means averaged out, and when you have a state that doesn't have many billionaires, of course it will look poorer on paper.

It's like New Jersey, which is a very high per capita state on paper. In reality, it's just a few millionaires living in gated houses while most of the regular people are poor. Compare to Vermont which has a lower per capita income (less millionaires) but less poverty.